Phreys



(R0 Model.)

A. G. GLASGOW '& A. O. HUMPHREYS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GARBURETING WATER GAS. No. 581,909.

Patented May 4 k M AZAAQ 35 gases.

J Eric,

HUMPHREYS, OF

vNEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CARBURETING WATER GAS."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,909, dated May 4,1897..

Application filed August 6, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ARTHUR GRAHAM GLAsoow and ALEXANDERCROMBIE HUM-PHREYS, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of NewYork, county of New York, and State of New York, (said GLASG Wtemporarily residing in London, .England,)

l haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of andApparatus for 1o Carbureting \Vater-Gas, of which the followingspecification is a true and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

Our invention relates to the man ufaeture of I I 5 carbureted water-gas,and has for its object a more perfect utilization of the heat generatedin the stages of the process known as blowing-up the generator-namely,that stage which consists in forcing air into the fuel-bed contained inthe generator for the purpose of raising its temperature to a sufficientheat for the proper decomposition of steam.

' In approved modern practice the potential heat or a portion thereof ofthe gases passing 2 5 01f from the generator during the blowing-upoperation is stored by secondary combustion of these gases inregenerative chan1bers,whieh chambers are afterward utilized for vaporizing oil during the time when water-gas is issu- 0 ing from the generatorand forconvertin g the oil-vaporsinto fixedgases. In some apparatusthese regenerative chambers are utilized for superheating thesteainwhich is forced into the generator as well as for fixing the Wehave ascertained thatlin the manufacture of carbureted water-gas theblast-gases as they leave the regenerative chambers used for carburetingand fixing the gas have still suffi- 40 cient sensible and potentialheat to impart ahigh temperature to the air used in the blow ing-upoperation, and that this heat can be utilized to pronounced advantage bythe methods hereinafter described, and of which an essential feature isthe provision of two independent or supplemental regenerative chambersconnected with the chambers used for carbureting and fixing the gas insuch a Way that the'blast-gases after leaving the fixingchamber orchambers will traverse and Fig. 4 is a sideelevation Serial No. 558,391.No model.)

impart heat to the said independent chambe'rs, the independent chambers,however, forming no part of the water-gas conduit and being connectedwith the air-blast apparatus and the generator in such a way that theair used in blowing up the generator-fire will traverse and be" heatedin .the independent regenerative chambers, preferably passing from thesaid independent chambers through the fixing and carbureting chambers tothe generator, this being rendered practicable by reason of the factthat thetemperatnre of the air-is so high that it will not tend to .robthe fixing and carbureting chambers of an injurious amount of heat,aswould be the case if it were passed directly to them without preheating.i I

1 Our invention in detail and the apparatus adapted for carrying itintoeffect will best be understood as described in connection with thedrawings, in which the apparatus is illustrated, and-in which-r Figure 1is a plan view of our new appara} tus; Fig. 2, asectional elevationthereof, the parts being represented as spread out into a plane; Fig. 3,a front view of a valve arrangement which we have devised for theconvenient reversal of the steamand opening and closing of the properwater-gas-delivery pipes.

V of the said valve arrangement, and Fig. 5 a view'illnstrating amodification in the arrangement of the appa; ratus. 1 g

A is the generator, which, .as shown in Figs,

1 and 2,-is provided with gas-take-ofi pipes-8 E E, leading from thetop-and bottom of thegenerator to a commom'delivery-pipe E an'd providedwith valves FftIlCl'F', by which either branch can be closed at will.The gas-takeoff pipes are duplicated, one pipe E in-the constructionshown leading to the carbureting-chamber B, while the other leads to thecarbureting-chainber 13. Each of the said carbureting-chambers isconnected with a fixing-chamber, (indicated at G and CL) con- 3 nectionbeing made by a conduit, such as K or K. 0f'course any. usualconstruction of carbureting and fixing chamber can be'employed. i

D and D indicate the supplemental or in. 5

dependent regenerative chambers, which, as shown, connect with thefixing-chambers C and C through pipes L and L, Z indicating valves insaid conduits, by which they can be closedat will, though the presenceof such valves is not essential, as will be explained hereinafter.

G and G indicate steam-pipes, by which saturated steam can be introducedeither to the bottom or top of the generator.

H and II indicate oil-supply pipes leading into the carburetors I3 andB. y

I I I indicate connections from the airblast (not shown) to the variousregenerative chambers, the air being admitted therethrough, wheresecondary combustion in such chambers is desired. Obviously these blastconduit branches may be led oit' from the main conduit at. any point,and therefore the air delivered through them may, if desired, bepreheated in the independent chambers D and D.

J J ll'ltllOitiClillG air-blast conduits leading to each of thechamber-s1) and D. As shown, these pipes enter the base of the chambers,but it may be advantageous under certain circumstances to distribute theair at various points in the regenerative chambers D and D, so as toprevent the cooling down of one part of said chambers to too great adegree.

M and lilindicate the two branches of the steam-supply pipe which leadinto the two sets of regenerative ehan'ibers, and which, as shown, enterthe heads of the fixing-ointmbers C and C, at which points it is goodpractice to introduce the steam for the purpose of superheating itbefore it enters the generator. The steam-pipes, however, may beintroduced into the chambers D and D, for instance, at thepointsiiulicated in dotted lines atm and m, in which case the valve Ican safely be dispensed with.

N and N are the gas-talre-oll' pipes, leading from the fixing-chambers Cand t" to a common receptacle 0, which, as shown, is a sealbox, U beingthe gas-conduit leading therefrom. v

Sand S are valves adapted to close the ends of the pipes N and N and, asshown, secured to the ends of lovers pivoted at R, the leverarm R beingprovided by which the levers carrying the valves are actuate-d and theirvalves brought into o )eration, one pipe being closed'and the other pipebeing opened, necessarily, by the same motion. The lever R is actuatedthrough a rod Q by means of a lever I P, pivoted at I", the working arm1 of the lever being connected by a link T with a lever T, which in turnis connected with a cook or valve T by which steam coming from thesource of supply through a pipe M is turned either into the pipe M orthe pipe ill,

, and, obviously, by this arrangement the reversal of the steam alwaystakes place simultaneously with the openingof the gas-deli very pipecorresponding to the position of the steam-cock.

V and V indicate take-oft conduits for blast-gases leading from the-baseof the chambers D and'D.

In Fig. 5 we have illtistrated two generators (marked A and A)conn.ectedby a conduit to at their bases and with the carburet-i ng-eham- At g andg we have indicated pipes for saturated steam leading into each of thesegenerators, and in this figure, as well as Fig. 2, We have indicated ata acold-blast conduit leading to the base of the generators. I

The apparatus having been brought toia proper temperature throughout inany conduit K and chamber 13,,and thence through conduit h either to thetop of the generator through pipe E or to the bottom of the generatorthrough pipe E, as may be desired. In case the air enters the top of thegenerator he valve F in the pipe through whichit enters is of courseopened and thecorresponding valve F closed, while in the other set oftake-oft pipes the valve F is open and the valve F closed, so that theair will pass down through the fuel in the generator, and thence throughpipes E and E at the righthand side into the chamber B. Of course byreversing the valves F and F the course of the air will be upwardthrough the fire and the delivery will be through thepipes E and I)? atthe right-hand side. .The blastgases will pass through the chamberB,thence through conduit K to the chamber C, thence through cond'uit Lto the chamber D, from which they escape through the takeoff conduit V.Secondary combustion in each of the chambers through which theblast-gases are passing is provided for by introducing air through thepipes I, I, and 1 The blast of air is then cut elf and steam introducedinto the 'head of the chamber C through the pipe M or into the chamberD, as through the pipe m, in case no valve 1 is provided in the pipe L.The steam sweeping through the chambers C and B becomes superheated andenters the generator assuperheated steam. The water-gas formed in thegenerator by forcing the steam through the heated l'u'el then passesthrough the chamber 13', into which oil is'a'lso forced, and'the mixedgases then pass to and are fi ved in the chamber C, from whiclrtheyissue through the pipe N and in to the seal-box O, thc'valves Sand Sbeing in the positionindicated in Fig. 3. From the box 0 the gas ispassed through pipe U to any convenient storagetank. At the end of thegas-making run we bers B and B by means of the pipes E E.'

venient way-as, for instance, by passing ehamberit will enter thechamber C by means of the pipe L, thence pass through the con 5 N. Thesteam then sweeps backward through the chambers O and B to the generatorand through it into the chambers B and O and then through the pipe N tothe seal-box and delivery-pipe. This reversal of the gas, which ofcourse takes place after the oil is cut off at the point H, sweeps therich gas out of the chambers Cand B'and forcesacertain quantity of leangas intoand through the chambers B and C, no oil being introduced at Hat this time, anda layer of steam intervening between the lean gas inthe chamber 0 and the air in the chamberD in case steam is introduced atm, while of course the use of a valve Z makes an absolute cut-off andprevents possibility of an explosive mixture.

When the right-hand side of the apparatus has been filled with steam andthe left-hand side with lean gas, the steam is cut off by an independentvalve, such as indicated at M and. which must be employed at any rate,so it will be seen that the reversal of the steamvalve controlled by thelever P P is to be made only once for each change of direction. Air isnext introduced into the independent chamber D through conduit J andpassed through the chambers C and B to the generator, the products ofcombustion then passing through and being employed to heat the chambersB, O, and D. Then steam is introduced through pipes M or m, superheatedinclgambers C and B,and passes through the generator, the water-gas thenpassing through and being carbureted and fixed in the chambers R and G,from the last of which it passes through the pipe N to the seal-box.After this run the steam is again reversed by the lever P P, theapparatus sweptout, and then again the air is introduced through thechamber D.

We have described in detail the above method of operation because itshows clearly that-our apparatus is entirely practicable and can beoperated without danger of the formation of explosive mixtures ofgas andair. The sequence of operations can be varied ,in ways which will beapparent to all skilled in the art, and it will also be understood thatbyproviding an independent blast, as a, and steam-conduits, as G and G,we have in view particularly the proper trimming and balance of thetemperatures which sometimes render the use of these appliancesadvisable.

It will be apparent that by passingthe air directly from the independentchamber D and D to the generator the main benefits-of our inventionwould still be obtained. We prefer to utilize the threeregenerativechambers as theconduits forthe air on its way to the.generaton'because the air is heated thereproper'functions of thecarbureting and fixing chambers.

by at higher degree and will not absorb so. much of the heatv as tointerfere with the.

This is true also as to the steam which, obviously, having been admittedas through pipes'm and m to the chambers D and D, could pass directly tothe generator, but as with regard to the airwe prefer the constructionshown, where the apparatus is doubled, as indicatedin the drawings. Inanother application filed by us July 10, 1895, Serial No. 555,489, wehave shown and described a specific apparatus in which the air and steamare not passed through thee-arbureting and fixing chambers.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a water-gas generator'of two sets of carburetingand fixing chambers, a water-gas take-01f leading from each of saidsets, a supplementalregenerative chamber'filled with refractory materialalso connected to each of said sets, blast-gas take-ofis leading from'each supplemental chamber, air-blast conduits leading'intoeach of thesupplementalchambers, steam-conduits leading to the generator, andvalves arranged as described for reversing and alternating the. passageof air, blastgases, and water-gas through the apparatus.

2. The combination with a watergas generator of two sets of carburetingand fixing chambers, a water-gas takeoff leading from each of said sets,a supplemental regenerative chamber filled with refractory material alsoconnected to each of said sets, blast-gas take-cits leading from eachsupplemental chamber, air-blast conduits leading into each of thesupplemental chambers,-steam-condnits leading into a member of eachconnected set of carbureting and fixing chambers, and valves arranged asdescribed'for reversing and alternating the passage of air, steam,blast-gases and water-gas through the apparatus.

3. The combination with a water-gas generator of two sets of carburetingand fixing chambers, a water-gas take-0E leading from each of said sets,asupplemental regenerative chamber filled with refractory material alsoconnectedto each of said 'sets, blast-gas IIS take-oifs leading fromeach supplemental chamber, air-blast conduits leading intoeach of thesupplemental chambers, steam-eonduits leading intoa member of eachconnected set of carbureting and fixing chambers, and valves arranged asdescribed for reversing and alternating the passage oif air, steam,blast-gases and water-gas through the apparatus.

4. The combination of a Water-gas generator with two sets of carburetingand fixing chambers, gas-conduits as N N leading from each of said setsto a common receptacle, steam-conduits as M M .leadinginto each set ofsaid chambers, a double valve as S S ar ranged to alternately close andopen the conduits N N, a cook or valve T adapted to alternately open andclose the conduits M M to a source of steam-supply and a valve-aotuatingdevice as lever P'arranged to sinnultaneously actuate the valves S S andT and so as to at the same time reverse the steamcurrent, open thegas-conduit in proper relation thereto, and close the other gas-conduit.

5. The method of making carbureted Watergas which consists in forcingair through a preheated regenerative chamber adapted to store heat andsupplemental to the chambers used for carburetin g and fixing thewater-gas and thence into the generator, then drawing off the productsof combustion through a set of carbureting and. fixing chambers andanother supplemental preheated regenerative chamber and using its actualand potential heat to heat said chambers, then cutting off the air-blastandforcing steam into the generator, drawing off the Water-gas throughone of the chambers adapted for carbureting and fixing, andforcingoiltherein to carburet said gas, then cutting off the oil and steaman'dforcing air through the second supplemental preheated regenerativechamber to the generator drawing off the products of combustion throughthe second set of chambers adapted for carbureting and fixing gas andthence through the first-mentioned supplemental regenerative chamber,and thus continuing alternating the air-blast and the course of thewater-gas, and in all cases drawing 01f the carbureted gas before itreaches the supplemental regenerative chambersin which air is heated.

6. The method of making carbu reted watergas which consists in forcingair through a preheated regenerative chamber adapted to store heat andindependent of the carbureting-cl1ambers,and"thence through a preheatedregenerative chamber or chambers adapted for carbureting and fixing gasinto the generator, drawing off the products of combustion through asimilar set of regenerative chambers and utilizing the actual andpotential heat thereof to heat said chambers, then cutting off theair-blast and forcing steam into the generator, then drawing off thewatergas through the portion of the other set of chambers adapted forcarbureting and fixing and injecting oil therein to carburet the gas,-then cutting otf the steam and forcing air through the second set ofchambers to the generator drawing off the products of combustion throughthe first set, and thus continuing alternating the air-blast and in allcases drawing off carbureted gas before it reaches the chamber intowhich air is first introduced.

7. The method of making carbureted watergas which consists in forcingair through a preheated regenerative chamber, adapted to store heat andindependent of the carbureting chambers, and thence through a preheatedregenerative chamber or chambers adapted for carbureting and fixing gasinto the generator, drawing off the products of combustion through asimilar setof regenerative chambers and utilizing the actual andpotential heat thereof to heat said chambers, then cutting ed theair-blast and forcing steam through one set of cha mhers into thegenerator,then drawing off the water-gas through the portion of theother set of chambers adapted for carbureting and fixing and injectingoil therein to carburet the gas, then cutting oif the steam and forcingair through the second set of chambers to the generator drawing ed theproducts of combustion through the first set and thus continuingalternating the air-blast and steam and in all cases drawing offcarbureted gas before it reaches the chamber into which air is firstintroduced. ARTHUR GRAHAM GLASGOW. ALEXANDER GROMBIE HUliiPHREYS.Witnesses to the signature of Arthur Graham Glasgow:

F. HUEMAN, ILLIAM SKEATE... Witnesses to the signature of AlexanderOrombie Humphreys:

WM. W. RANDOLPH, FRANK H. BUCKLIN.

